All my life I have been a very aggressive person. If there is a contest, I always do my best to win. Sometimes a crippling lack of self-worth and insecurity fuels my determination. So in such moments I can go against any odd just to be the best. I know it’s weird but I never mind even if what I do disgusts or bores me to death.

To be honest, trying to be the perfect or the best in everything you do is exhausting.

The first day I did yoga, I wanted to be aggressive and determined as usual. However, yoga changed me totally. In fact, let’s just say I fell in love: my instructor told me that I had to ignore the other students and just focus on my practice. She told me that yoga isn’t about competing, like the other physical workouts I may have encountered.

Then, a thought came it to my mind, this is the only place I did not have to be number one. I sighed with relief because that heavy burden had been taken away.

Bad habits never die and trust me when I tell you that my relief lasted for a minute! A fellow student next to me executed a jump-back to Chaturanga. Her body seemed flawless and before I knew it, competition was back on. I had to be that girl!

I was now obsessing over my alignment, not because I want it to be correct – I needed it to be beautiful. I wanted my poses to look perfect to me.

What I didn’t know was that I was missing the whole point of yoga. I forgot so fast that it wasn’t about what I look like but how I feel.

The moment we try to do what other people are doing or to ignore our own truths, we end up messing everything. By the end of the session, my body was so tired and sore. Wanting to be that perfect girl didn’t work at all. My body couldn’t take it at that moment.

I couldn’t execute the inversions and for sure I wasn’t the best in my class at anything pose-related. Unless that award also included sleeping during Savasana. That was the only pose I was best at.

Finally, I chose to give up- even though not on yoga. The competition was too much and again I was exhausted.

At last.

I was determined to let it stay for more than a minute this time. To my surprise I began to learn a lot. I got to know that my asana is the best for me as at that moment; and the best thing I could do is improve on my practice as days go by.

I feel great.

I don’t practice yoga because someone has forced me or because I want to be the best. Yoga has taught me that I don’t have to be the best in everything and now my life doesn’t revolve around trying to be perfect. It might have taken a while for me to get there, but I am glad I understand it better.

I may not have the capability to hold the inversions for three breaths, and that’s okay. My poses or body may not look like the ones I see on many yoga magazines, and that is still okay. I may also not have a perfect practice but its surely the best for me.

The lesson: Just be you and give everything your best. The life you live belongs to you and it should never look like anyone’s.

As my instructor said, we only find contentment and peace each time we stay on our mats rather than comparing ourselves to others. We can only keep ourselves focused on our drishtis and improve in our practice if we lead our own paths.

The ambiguous misconception that yoga is simply stretching is likely based on a misunderstanding of both the human anatomy and yoga. In most avenues of wellness and health advise, the stretching importance is usually given. Yet each time you ask someone if they have an idea about it, they barely know. We tend to associate the sensations we feel each time our bodies are placed in a particular position we are not accustomed to as stretching. And nowadays, each time people are looking to stretch, they often opt to take yoga classes since they don’t have other references. They think that yoga is just an elegant way of stretching out.

While growing up, I remember how my physical education teacher used to tell us to touch our toes. Some of us could touch without any difficulty while others couldn’t. I didn’t work out so often after school until I was introduced to yoga. The good thing is that I was determined to fix my body again, whatever the cost or the pains.

Even though my motion ranges increased as I continued with my practice, they came with a price. To manage to achieve full splits was quite an achievement because it was one of my goals. I kept showing off this accomplishment in almost every class I attended from that day. This was until I had a discussion with my instructor. I guess he could see that even though it’s okay to shine in my poses, yoga wasn’t all just about that. He told me that I should focus on wanting to feel better rather than the pursuit of unlimited flexibility alone.

Two months ago I wrote a piece called Readiness is all I needed. The reason I hadn’t exercised for many years was because I hand not found that unifying workout that could not only keep me in shape but also fulfill my inner self. This is the main reason I am writing this piece today, just so I could speak to those who approach yoga with this different mentality, saying that it’s just stretching.

So, we need to understand this amazing form of exercise more instead of continuing to perpetuate myths. As far as I know, yoga isn’t just stretching. And even if someone could try to make me change my mind, then I doubt I could fall for that. In my experience, the moment my muscles slide along during a yoga practice, my body begins to move freely. And when the pain comes, it’s more of a comforting release instead of an intense sensation. Yoga feels safe and isn’t just stretching as many people think.

The only way anyone can understand my point of view is if they have done yoga before. Those who watch people doing yoga from the sidelines will continue to speculate until the day they get to practice YOGA!

If you are worried, stressed, angry, sad or grumpy, this post is just perfect for you.

Recently I have been having my own share of days when I get emotionally attached to negative emotions. Sometime I even find it hard to shake off these feelings. I can get mad if things don’t go my way or react negatively even in situations that are beyond my control. Every time a person fails me I get frustrated and disappointed.

Let’s be honest here…no one is perfect. Is there anyone who has never had a bad day? I mean everything always works as it’s supposed to all the time and no one crosses your line, not even you! If this is you then you must be living in another world of perfection.

But if you face difficult situations in life like me, then I need to share some of the tips I have learned from my yoga instructor over time. Rather than staying there and dwelling on the negative emotions while allowing them to control you, you can try out some of these simple practices:

Noticing your breath

Breath is one vital tool that can be used for re-centering. When in this awful moods, ask yourself how you are breathing. Should you slow down and invite deeper breaths? Yes, you should. Notice how you can let go of your negative emotions by emptying your lungs and breathing out. Now that you are empty, you have definitely released something no matter how small it may be. Then it’s time to fill up. As you breath in, you will bring in ease, peace and the calmness that will get to your entire body. Practice these deep long breaths and in no time you will calm down.

Practicing gratitude actively

Think of the things you are grateful for in life, at that moment. You are truly suffering and things seem rough. May be you are overacting. However, you are truly blessed in other ways. It may be your family, health, job, business and even friends. Is there anything you are noticing right away? If there is then be grateful and bring back that smile.

Separating yourself from the feelings you have

Each time you have the negative emotions, you have to separate yourself from that. Assume that the feeling is like an ocean wave that will eventually wash upon the shore. If an ocean wave doesn’t control you while swimming, then neither should your negative emotion crowd your mind and judgement.

Other than utilizing these tips, you can also choose to practice yoga, just so you can work on your entire body. You will get to breath and relax your body and mind by the end of the session. You never know how positively it might impact your life until you give it a try.

One morning, I was taking my daughter to school. we had woken up late that day so the school bus left before we could get at the pick-up point. “We need to hurry up baby or we will be late”, I shouted. In the back of mind, I knew very well that she doesn’t like hurrying up.

If I called myself a busy bee, then I wouldn’t be wrong. Usually my schedule is so tight. I never know when to stop. I run a business and have to ensure that my kid gets to school and pick her up after school. Other than that, I have to balance other duties like cooking, shopping, laundry and other cleaning jobs in my house. Most days I get to bed and I am so drained and exhausted.

But, I am lucky I found a friend in yoga. Yoga teaches me that being busy isn’t a badge of honor I should wear but a distraction from the beautiful moments in life. I realized that each time I feel self-pressured and extremely over scheduled to get everything done, I am actually missing being present. Even thou I haven’t mastered how to free my schedule, I know how I can handle such situations better that before.

Yoga has helped me learn how I can recognize each time I am not being at my best. It just makes me feel great.

Each time I get to the mat I feel replenished because I take time to hear and feel my breath and know that these tasks can wait for another 45 minutes. As I move the stress and tension out of my body, I realize that I am reviving myself and I can handle anything that I come across in a better way. Yoga slows down my mind too.

It’s not easy for moms to keep their yoga alive especially if one has to adjust to the unpredictability of their daily schedules like I do. Here are a few tips that have helped me so far.

Being flexible. You may already have a schedule for yoga practice then something that needs your attention happens. I believe that yoga isn’t just about doing the poses on the mat but about how we handle everything in our daily life. When practicing yoga, we all breathe through some challenging situations but still we remember to stay calm. Don’t let any situation that gets into your schedule prevent you from sparing time to do yoga.

Include yoga time in your schedule. Let yoga be as important as any other thing in your life. Know that each time you do yoga and you are at your best, everyone you live with will be impacted positively.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Some days it’s okay to surrender to the situation. The moment things don’t work as planned then you begin to beat yourself up, you will stress your mind and body. Know that you are responsible for making an environment around you that nurtures not only you but your entire family.

Even if you don’t manage to get on your mat, consider bringing yoga to your daily activities. Stay with your breath, be present and keep moving on even when you face those challenging moments. Then when you get to the mat, indulge fully so that you can benefit. Namaste!

Up until last week I did not know what Yin Yoga is all about. Being an active yogi I kept guessing that this type of yoga was for beginners. I love my intense power yoga sessions, feeling challenged and empowered as I sweat out. So after my last session last week on Friday I thought I should talk to my instructor about Yin. I was curious. I have already done power yoga, silent yoga (yoga with a deaf instructor), yoga in the dark (yoga with a blind instructor while blind folded) and AcroYoga.

The instructor advised me to just join one of the yin classes and get the experience. I have never been afraid of trying new things out. Since my entire week was already scheduled, I thought I should join the Sunday morning session.

As usual, I had mixed feelings. I was excited I was going to do yin but on the other hand I kept wondering what’s in store for me. The studio was almost full by the time I got there with yogis of all background and ages. I took a spot at the back at a corner so I could slip away in case I felt I needed to quit. Don’t get me wrong…I rarely quit.

The instructor was pleasant, lovely and also knowledgeable. He introduced himself and asked if anyone of us had any injuries. He also asked if there was a newbie. I know you think that I raised my hand, but no…I didn’t. I kept wondering why am I pretending. As I continued debating with myself, the class started. He maneuvered us into the first pose named Half Saddle (this is a seated position whereby one leg is straightened out in front of you and the other one is bent backwards with the heel towards the bottom) I thought, this feels okay. It must be interesting. He then said that we fold forward, and I was okay with that even though I could feel the impacts. Then he said “hold in this pose and breath softly from your belly for the next five minutes”.

What??? I thought my ears were failing me. I lifted my head up but to my surprise everyone was folding. That’s when it hit me, he must be serious. I folded forward even though my muscles were already screaming and preparing for this awesome learning process.

So what is Yin Yoga?

Yin yoga is a form of yoga that is based on the yin and yang concept, the complementary and opposite principles in nature. Yang is the moving, changing and revealing aspect while yin is the unmoving, stable and hidden aspect of things. There are other yin-yang polarities such as down- up, cold-hot, calm-excited.

In our bodies, the pliable and mobile muscles and the blood are yang while the relatively stiff connective tissues such as ligaments, tendons are yin.

A yin session consists of long-held and passive floor poses that are geared towards working the lower part of our bodies –the pelvis, hips, lower spine, inner thighs. These are the areas that are rich in connective tissues. The asanas are held for 5 minutes or even longer.

These are some of the things I learned about yin by the end of the session. We will be covering more on yin and the reasons you need to incorporate this form of yoga in your regimen in future posts.

Recently I faced a challenging moment in life because I had to have an extremely difficult conversation with a person I love. It’s that conversation you can’t avoid at all and you wish you were somewhere else but there. I was feeling so vulnerable and trapped. In, fact I felt as if I would hurt both or either of us.

I took a deep breath while creating space for the unknown. Suddenly it hit me: I could take such deep breaths because of yoga and I could also sit with myself and analyze any situation before I could react. Yoga had surely taught me to be a good friend to myself and to others.

Can five or more breaths in any yoga pose assist me to tackle a difficult situation? Well, every time I think of yoga I think of a relaxing practice that leaves me better than it found me. Does that happen to you too? If it does, then the answer is yes!

Yoga works long-term and the main reason behind it is that it has been designed to trigger the responses we have during a stressful moment. Let’s take a simple example; holding crazy poses in for a considerable duration while the legs are burning isn’t so easy. Sometimes you will feel like letting go or you might start to curse your instructor from inside. That’s stressful.

The main reason yoga works is because during this stressful circumstances, something else always happens. This is the time you are working your body and mind to relax, despite the situation. You are reorienting that stress response from the usual heavy and fast breathing, tense muscles and having panicked thoughts to a slow breathing and calmer thoughts. You also modulate the physical reaction by training the mental reactions. Thus you can lower your blood pressure, secondary concern and ease on the breathing.

We all have that magical yoga moment while in class when all the body or emotional stress drops away. The good news is that if anyone can manage to consciously cultivate this kind of balance while physically stressed, then it’s possible to strike the balance when under mental and emotional stress.

Yoga can teach you to train your stress response systems. This is one thing many individuals never learn their entire life since they never get the chance to develop the needed tools. The moment you do yoga, you become proactive especially if you were stuck. This helps you to know how to release any kind of stress when on or out of the mat.

When faced with an emotional situation, I usually step out of my reactive self just like I do when my instructor asks me to hold a pose that I find impossible. Rather than telling them NO or becoming angry, I have learned how to cultivate peaceful responses.

Now you know how I handle myself. I believe the only way to find this truth is by improving on your practice and staying true to yourself and your body. Each practice takes you a step closer to these goals and even more!

The kind of lifestyle we live nowadays can wreak havoc on our postures. We spend many hours sitting behind computers at work, taking care of our children, driving in cars and even doing house chores. Over time, the spine begins to curve and the shoulders round forward and we find ourselves moving about the world with spinal alignments that are compromised (or bad posture).

I usually go to shop on Tuesdays evening. A friend of mine and a Yoga Instructor Anne wanted me to change my shopping schedule so I could join her for yoga but I wasn’t interested. I always excused myself until the day I saw a young man at the counter whose back was a bit curved. I got nearer and took a closer look. And yes it was true. I paid up and left the store as fast as I could, just to call Anne.

She didn’t pick my call, and then it hit me – this is the time she goes for her yoga sessions. So I had to wait patiently for about an hour so I could call her again. I got home and all I could think of was how that guy in the store looked like. I didn’t blame him because I was still sailing in the same boat.

Later on, Anne called back and I told her what I saw. She burst out laughing. In fact, she couldn’t stop laughing and I got annoyed. Why was she laughing at that guy? She stopped after a few seconds and explained that she was laughing at me. “How many times have I asked you to come for yoga?”, she asked. Instead of answering, I requested her to come over to my place.

She came later that evening and explained more about how yoga helps in improving posture among other benefits. She said that most people end up having poor posture as they grow old. I knew I had to take some steps in the right directions – and that’s yoga.

Other than increasing body awareness, Anne explained how yoga lengthens the spine while strengthening the core. She mentioned that the spine holds our body up all day long and that’s why I have to ensure that I keep it in a tip-top condition. It also has to support and carry my head all day long. Poses like mountain pose, standing forward bend, cobra pose, child’s pose and locust pose are extremely helpful.

I attend yoga classes with Anne now and the next day I get close to the same guy, I will have to find a way to talk to him. So, just the way bad habits tend to develop over time, we can all spare some time to build back the good habits. Practicing yoga at least three times a week is a healthy and easy option for improving your posture. Thanks to Anne, now I know better. Nowadays I stand tall and people tell me that am more confident and I even appear thinner! The feeling is amazing and am glad I have a friend like Anne.

It’s always easy to tell if a person hasn’t practiced yoga before by how they breathe. Usually, regulars take deep breathes through their nose. Even as they do some of the crazy poses like hand stands or side crow, they don’t pant. Although I have not practiced yoga for long, I love watching the newbies, especially those people who have some gym experience.Today I want to tell the story of my favorite practitioner and friend, Eliud.

Eliud is a cool, handsome and tall guy who loves being around pretty ladies. I meet him often especially on Fridays as we hang out. So one day I thought I should invite him for a yoga session. Knowing him well, I knew he would create time. In fact, the idea was so exciting, and we set the date for his first yoga class. We were supposed to meet there and I insisted that he keeps time.I went for my sessions as usual and guess who came in just when the session was about to start – my friend of course. I knew he had to make an impression and for he didn’t disappoint. This guy strut in with a puffed chest, while looking at the other students in the eye. He was wearing noisy track suit. He chuckled while taking off his sports socks and shoes. Who does that in yoga?He sat next to me and winked. He then asked, “what kind of exercise yoga routine is this where I have to be barefooted? This doesn’t make sense at all”. I told him to focus, because everyone was waiting for him to settle so that the session could begin. Talk of drawing attention - he just loved doing it.The class began with Child’s pose – we knelt on the mat, knees wide apart and then we sat on our heels with the hands stretched out in front of us and the head on the mat. Even with my eyes closed, I could still hear him murmuring but I chose to ignore. You know, it’s important to focus while doing yoga and that’s the reason I couldn’t focus on anything else.Shortly, the huffing and puffing began as we got deeper and deeper into our practice. We got to gorilla pose. In this pose, you are supposed to step on your palms and now my guy couldn’t even touch his toes let alone his palms. Well, our instructor assisted him in modifying the pose and we moved on. We got to wheel pose and I could tell from his facial expression that he was going to deal with me later.Even though my friend came for the session just to impress the ladies, he totally changed his perspective about yoga. Now we go for our sessions together. To my surprise, he even paid the premium monthly subscription immediately after the session! Am so proud of my friend and despite everything, he is now growing in his practice. He truly understands that Yoga is all about conquering your body!So, I began doing yoga so I could be more flexible. I usually like it when we get to the eagle pose, dancers pose and tree pose. The back bending series and the abs are also intriguing. Yoga has helped me a lot and I still want to take this long-life journey to build my flexibility and stamina. Let’s meet again on the mat at Rank-Imani for another awesome workout!

Breathing is a very crucial part of any yoga practice because it inspires and promotes your wellbeing while controlling your body’s life energy (Prana). Controlling your breath and using it appropriately with yoga poses and movements is regarded as one way for you to bring more oxygen to your brain, stimulate wellness and create a sense of balance as you practice.

Is there anything wrong with how we breathe?

In yoga, breathing is used to work each and every movement and it also brings about some benefits in itself. The daily stressful lifestyles we lead, not to mention the sedentary working days, can leave the body worn out and that includes our breathing too. Pressures lead to faster and shallow breaths thus the full lung capacity is never used.

Breathing from the chest and mouth breathing doesn’t bring the same oxygen levels. The way most of us live can lead to the tightening of muscles and that can include the neck, thorax and upper body muscles. This can restrict deep breathing.

Are there benefits of breathing as you practice yoga?

Essentially, breathing in yoga is aimed at improving the flow of oxygen into the body and a powerful flow of Prana. This leaves you feeling more energized. Getting into various poses, holding in challenging postures like inversions and focusing on the flow of the poses are all aided greatly by deep and controlled breathes. Other benefits include:

·Training the body to breath correctly while increasing the lung capacity

·Increased connection of the mind and body through focused and controlled breathing

·Improved focus and a greater sense of calm and inner peace

·Helps in circulation

How should you breathe while practicing yoga?

It’s important for you to breathe through the nose and that you make use of the diaphragm instead of shallow breathing. Breath in through the nose and hold your breath for about two seconds. As you inhale, be sure to feel how your diaphragm is moving up and how the abdomen expands. Exhale through you nose and ensure that the breath is controlled.

For sure, yoga is suitable for your whole being compared to other exercises that just work your body alone. It’s time for you to take advantage of these yoga benefits and start practicing yoga now!

You may already know all about yoga benefits. It is incredible for increasing flexibility, toning muscles, relieving stress and much more. But to get all these benefits you need to be self-disciplined and committed to your practice. Here are some of the things you shouldn’t do in a yoga session.

Coming to class late

Coming for your session late is disruptive to both the instructor and your fellow practitioners. Additionally, the instructor plans for the session earlier, so coming late and jumping in for the practice isn’t good for your body. Always be punctual and settle in before the session begins. Coming early gives you a chance to warm up, do some stretches or simply sit and reflect quietly.

Carrying a mobile device

Let’s be honest here, we are all dependent on smart phones to keep our work and lives running smoothly. However, yoga is the most appropriate time for you to relax and do some self-exploration. You don’t need electronics at this time. Constantly texting, checking notification or even answering calls will distract you and those around you. Its best to keep it silent or leave it behind.

Talking to the practitioner next to you

Making friends with fellow practitioners before or after a session is always welcome, but you need to stay silent the moment the class begins. Most yogis relish the session as the time to turn inward and connect with their bodies, so you shouldn’t be offended in case no one chats with you. Just focus on the practice.

Rushing out of a session

Rather than going straight to a dressing room or studio quickly, consider taking some time to reflect on what you did in the class. This helps in retaining whatever you have learned and experienced. Reviewing each and every lesson helps in deepening your personal practice and sharpening your yoga skills.

After a yoga session, you will feel more relaxed, at peace and inspired. Give yoga a try today by getting in touch with us for the ultimate yoga experience!